PSG’s takeover by the mega-rich Qatar Sports Investments changed the competitive and financial face of European football – so it is no surprise they dominate the list of best-paid players in Ligue 1.
French newspaper L’Equipe have published a list of the top 30 best-paid players in the national top division, by monthly wage before tax.
Of these, 13 play in Paris, including 12 of the top 13, with Monaco forward Radamel Falcao – at No 9 on the list – the only interloper.
Even by the standards of the huge wages paid to modern top-level footballers, however, the monthly pay packet of Neymar is extraordinary.
The Brazilian forward joined PSG last summer from Barcelona for a world record transfer fee of £200million after the Ligue 1 side paid his buy-out clause – and they had to pay a pretty penny for his wages too.
Neymar is reportedly paid £2.7million every month – approximately £600,000 per week – which is more than double the next best-paid players in the list.
Those players are Neymar’s strike partners, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe, who each earn £1.3million every month, or around £290,000 a week.
Four PSG players are paid over £1m a month, the other being defender Thiago Silva, while Angel Di Maria and Marquinhos earn just shy of seven figures, when their wages are converted from Euros into British currency.
The figures contrast with the wages paid in the English Premier League – the top seven in Ligue 1 would also appear in the top 10 highest earners across the channel.
However the drop off after the massive wages of PSG is notable. The equal 20th best-paid player in Ligue 1 – including Crystal Palace flop Steve Mandanda – earn just shy of £70,000 per week, while the 20th best-paid player in England is Raheem Sterling, on £135,000 weekly.
Fans of English clubs will also note a few familiar names earning good money in France – former Newcastle forward Hatem Ben Arfa earns £444,000 per month (£98,000 per week) to sit in PSG’s reserves.
Dimitri Payet, after leaving West Ham in acrimonious circumstances in January 2016, takes home the same pay packet as Ben Arfa, while former Manchester City and Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is the sole Nice player in the top 30, on £400,000 per month (around £90,000 per week).
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